


The Middle of the Beginning of the Road

by FoxRafer



Category: Lord of the Rings RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-28
Updated: 2011-07-28
Packaged: 2017-10-21 20:56:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/229763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxRafer/pseuds/FoxRafer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday, T! I hope today marks the beginning of a bright and beautiful year, that the coming year is filled with love and happiness, and that you have a wonderful celebratory day. *hugs*</p><p>The inspiration was a <a href="http://dbeckerman.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/swinging-in-blizzard/"><b>picture</b></a> from one of this year's <a href="http://wordsontongue.livejournal.com/"><b>wordsontongue</b></a> prompts but as I was writing it I knew it was actually for you. In my mind (hence the odd, awkward title *g*) this Sean and Viggo are of the <a href="http://foxyfics.livejournal.com/tag/many%20roads"><b>Many Roads</b></a> variety.</p>
    </blockquote>





	The Middle of the Beginning of the Road

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stormatdusk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormatdusk/gifts).



> Happy Birthday, T! I hope today marks the beginning of a bright and beautiful year, that the coming year is filled with love and happiness, and that you have a wonderful celebratory day. *hugs*
> 
> The inspiration was a [**picture**](http://dbeckerman.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/swinging-in-blizzard/) from one of this year's [**wordsontongue**](http://wordsontongue.livejournal.com/) prompts but as I was writing it I knew it was actually for you. In my mind (hence the odd, awkward title *g*) this Sean and Viggo are of the [**Many Roads**](http://foxyfics.livejournal.com/tag/many%20roads) variety.

_July 28, 2000_

Sean wasn't big on hot and sticky weather, but despite liking the cold and snow it still felt strange to be shivering in the middle of what his body kept telling him was summer. Strange how the one thing he hadn't been able to acclimate to were the different seasons in the southern hemisphere. Ordinarily he loved the winter, but now he found himself unable to get warm, staying indoors at every opportunity wearing layers of sweaters and drinking hot cocoa with a little whiskey (and some days whiskey with a little hot cocoa). He felt like he was turning into his old gran (if you swapped the whiskey for sherry) and while the thought made him laugh, he was glad his kids couldn't see him like this. He'd never hear the end of it.

Everyone else had been filming today, leaving Sean to fully settle into his new role as the stodgy member of the Fellowship. He'd spent the day reading, sketching a little and napping more, ignoring the phone and screenful of e-mails from his agent. The idea of possibly tackling the paper's crossword drifted into his mind when someone began banging on the door, loud and persistent and at risk of soon being reported for a noise violation. Sean knew it could only be one person, despite their having a key, and for a second he considered leaving him out there, seeing how long he'd keep it up before just letting himself in. But he wanted to stay in the good graces of the hotel management, so he pulled himself off the sofa and went to open the door.

Viggo burst through with only a cursory glance at Sean. He stalked around scanning the room, then disappeared into the bedroom. Sean could hear him rummaging around in his things but left him to it, waiting for everything to eventually be made clear. When Viggo finally emerged he held Sean's hiking boots in his hand, then crossed over to grab his coat and scarf. He pounded back over to Sean who still stood holding the front door, extending his arms for Sean to take his clothing.

"No hello and you expect me to just leave with you."

"Try answering your phone once and a while."

"And you still wouldn't have said hello."

"What if you'd been needed on set?"

Sean opened his mouth to respond but then realized that had never entered his mind. "Was I?"

"Worried?"

"Maybe."

"And if I refuse to answer until you put these on?"

"I'd go call Pete's office."

"It's snowing. Come with me, if only for a few minutes. If you want to hurry back inside after that you can be my guest."

Sean stepped into Viggo, backing him against the wall, and leaned in and kissed him, long and slow, warming himself from head to foot. Then he grabbed his boots from Viggo's hand and propped himself against the door to put them on.

"Hi," Viggo sighed, watching as Sean bent over to tie the laces. "And you weren't needed today."

Sean straightened and took his coat and scarf from Viggo. "Thank you. Now, where are we going?"

Viggo let out a demented cackle, then whipped the door open and hurried down the hall and into the elevator.

"Where do you think the cameras are?" he asked, looking around above their heads.

"I don't know but I know they have them. Hence why I never molest you in here."

"And it's more fun at my place anyway. Why haven't you moved in again?"

"Because sometimes I need to be alone."

"No, that's not it. You just don't want to admit who we are to each other yet." The doors opened and he rushed out, shooting through the lobby as if the floor was on fire. When he got outside he stopped and waited for Sean.

"What's the bloody hurry? The snow, or rather the blizzard, will still be here."

"It's just down the street a few blocks. And I'm hurrying because it closes at dusk so come on."

Sean hadn't seen it snow like this in ages, and despite trying to hold on to his old curmudgeon routine he was loving it. Not so thick he couldn't see, but heavy enough to put a beautiful white filter across everything around him. He relaxed, often staring into the sky to welcome the flakes to the world. Which is why he plowed into Viggo at the corner nearly shoving him into the road.

"Shit!" He grabbed at Viggo's arm, pulling him back.

"It's not coming down that hard you can't see."

"I wasn't looking; sorry."

Viggo glanced around them. "I don't see anything particularly attention grabbing around here."

"No, I was looking at the sky." When Viggo kept staring at him, Sean shrugged. "It's beautiful."

He answered Viggo's smile with one of his own, then Viggo was grabbing his sleeve - "Just to keep you anchored to the ground, nature boy." - and they were rushing off again. Finally they turned into a children's playground, completely deserted save for one lone person walking their dog. Viggo made a beeline for the swings then bent down to dust off two seats.

"You can't be serious," Sean exclaimed. "I don't think it'll hold us."

"Of course it will." To demonstrate, Viggo flopped down heavily and bounced up and down a few times.

Sean looked around them, was thankful to see the dog walker leaving, then gingerly sat down on the other swing. Viggo pulled a flask out of his coat, took a swig and handed it to Sean, and after Sean had a couple of draughts took the bottle back and slipped it back in his pocket.

"You know, I've lived forty-odd years and I've never been swinging in the snow."

"Me neither."

"So let's..."

"Did it ever occur to you that we haven't because it's just that daft?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Sean stared at Viggo for a moment, watching as his beard and hair acquired more flecks of white. "I wonder what the snow would look like when you're swinging?"

"Especially leaning back and watching it fall."

Sean felt the mischievous and adventurous smile of his ten-year-old self slide across his face, and they pushed off, each trying to get higher than the other. They pushed harder and faster, gliding through the white curtain of snow, feeling it melt against their skin. They opened their mouths and drank in the air, letting their laughter fill the park as they flew. Time became a foreign concept, as they lost track of how long they floated on this wave of euphoria. Suddenly Sean felt Viggo pull himself up short and he stopped beside him.

"What is it?"

"I think we're about to get kicked out. There's a police officer coming this way."

They looked at the officer then back to each other, and the manic gleam in Viggo's eyes was all Sean needed to see. They bounded to their feet and half slid, half ran out of the park, hopping the fence and skidding down the street and around the corner. Sean leaned against the wall next to Viggo, his gasps for air broken by great heaves of laughter.

"Why is it these things always happen when I'm with you?"

Viggo had taken out his flask again and now passed it to Sean. "We don't always end up running from the police."

"No, I mean, feeling like I'm a kid again, being mad and wild and not caring what anyone thinks."

"Oh, I don't know. Because deep down that's who you are?"

"No, I'm not. But it's fun when that Sean comes out."

"I agree." Viggo grabbed the bottle and slipped it into his coat. "I'd say I'd race you back to the hotel but I think I'm all raced out."

"Where are you parked?"

"I took a cab. Thought I might drink a little too much."

"Good. Let's walk back so I can grab my mobile and a couple of other things, then catch a taxi to the house. We can come back on Sunday for the rest of my things."

"For the rest..." Viggo stopped and searched Sean's face in the gloomy light.

"It's not that I don't want to admit who we are to each other," Sean whispered. "It just takes me more time to really believe it."

Viggo saw Sean's tilted smile, the one that resided somewhere between cocky and shy and always sent a surge of love and desire through him. He quietly swiped his knuckles across Sean's hand, felt the answering nudge and imperceptible squeeze of fingers, and the cold air vanished around them, warmed by certainty and trust and excitement at this new fork in the road.


End file.
